Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

At Bolivian prison, pope calls himself man ‘saved from his many sins’

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SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia — Pope Francis visited one of Latin America’s most notorious prisons, calling himself “a man who was and is saved from his many sins.” “I couldn’t leave Bolivia without seeing you, without sharing the hope and faith given in the cross,” he told people at Palmasola prison in Santa Cruz. Speaking on […]

All the earth sings God’s praise, but human activity is silencing it, pope says in his first encyclical

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Pope Francis is shown praying at an Austro-Hungarian cemetery for fallen soldiers of World War I in Fogliano di Redipuglia, northern Italy, Sept. 13, 2014. (CNS photo)   VATICAN CITY — The earth, which was created to support life and give praise to God, is crying out with pain because human activity is destroying it, […]

What you can do: the pope’s practical tips for helping the environment

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 St. Anthony School, Kailua, students sift sand at Kailua Beach to remove plastic particles. (HCH Parish and School News file photo)   VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home” is a call for global action as well as an appeal for deep inner conversion. He points to numerous […]

All creation sings God’s praise, but people are silencing it, pope says

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A bronze statue of St. Francis of Assisi with a lamb stands in the Rose Garden at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in the saint’s hometown. Legend has it that St. Francis once threw himself among the garden’s bushes, hoping its thorns would rid him of a spell of doubt and temptation. Thorn-less […]

Pope accepts resignations of St. Paul archbishop, auxiliary bishop

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Archbishop John C. Nienstedt, right, addresses the media alongside Auxiliary Bishop Lee A. Piche at a news conference Jan. 16 announcing that the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis had filed for Chapter 11 Reorganization. Ten days after the archdiocese was criminally charged with failing to protect children, Pope Francis accepted the resignations of Archbishop […]

Vatican set to announce decision on Medjugorje

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ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — Pope Francis said the Vatican was ready to make an announcement concerning the alleged Marian apparitions in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith met recently to discuss the issue and “we’ve reached the point of making a decision and then they will say,” […]

Diocese planning pilgrimage to families conference with pope in Philly

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Pope Francis is going to the World Meeting of Families Congress in Philadelphia this September. And you can too. The Diocese of Honolulu is organizing a Sept. 21-28 pilgrimage with Bishop Larry Silva to the triennial gathering. The conference, whose purpose is to strengthen the sacred bonds of the family unit worldwide and highlight its […]

Report: Papal encyclical named after St. Francis prayer of praise

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VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment will be titled “Laudato Sii” (Praised Be), a line from St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of Creatures,” and will be released June 16, said the head of the Vatican publishing house. Salesian Father Giuseppe Costa, speaking at an event in Naples May 30, told reporters that […]

Pope: Two new Palestinian saints radiated God’s love

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A banner showing new Saint Marie-Alphonsine hangs from the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica as Pope Francis celebrates the canonization Mass for four new saints in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican May 17. The pope canonized four 19th-century nuns. The new saints are: Marie-Alphonsine and Mary of Jesus Crucified, both from historic Palestine; Jeanne […]